Driving-stirrup.



Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

A Ity WTTED STATES PATENT @F JOSEPH s. scams, or GOSHEN, NEWvonxnssrenon TO WALTER TYRIE s'rnvnns, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

DRIVING-STIRRUP.

Application filed April-12, 1916.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, Josnrrr S. GOATES, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Goshen, in the county of Orange and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Driving- Stirrups,of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to driving stirrups and the like, such as areadapted to be used on sulkies and-carts, and its objects, among others,are to provide a simple, strong and dependable device of this characterwhich may be quickly and easily adjusted to accommodate the length ofthe drivers legs or for any other purpose, and to so form the detachableconnections which afford the adj ustment that they will securely holdthe device in position under all conditions of use.

The invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangementof parts hereinafter described and claimed and illustrated in theaccompanying, drawings.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of thethill and attached brace of a sulky or driving cart or a similar vehiclewith the adjustable driving stirrup embodying the improvements thereon;Fig. 2 is a plan of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section on theline 3-3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows'inthat'figure, and Fig. 4 is an inside view showing a modification.

The thill A and brace Bare of ordinary form, and are connected with'theaxle truss in any desired manner. To the underside of the thill, at itsjunction with the brace is secured a ratchet plate 0, in a substantiallyhorizontal position. The inner edge of this plate at the back is alsosecured to the brace,

so as to give all the parts involved ad ditional strength. The ratchetplate O is secured to the thill at its ends and is spaced a shortdistance from the under surface of the thill between its ends. At amedial point the said plate'is provided with a spindle or postconsisting of a tube'with a screw passing through the said plate andthrough the tube and into the wood of the thill, by which it isreinforced and maintained in its proper position against the variousstrains to which it is subjected. This plate is provided on its inneredge with ratchet teeth C.

The stirrup proper D has an extension E secured to one side thereof andextending up Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb-6, 1917..

Serial No. 90,549.

wardly and outwardly beneath the ratchet plate C, and the outwardlyextending part E has clamping members E and E which extend around theedges of the plate G and be tween its upper surface and the undersurface of the thill. These members extend inwardly over the uppersurface of the clamp plate far enough to prevent separation, and theinner one E is of approximately the same width as the straight portionat the bottom of the space between two ratchet teeth so that when theplate E is parallel with the ratchet plate 0 and the vertical portion ofE in the said space and in contact with the edge of the plate 0 the saidplate E cannot be moved along the ratchet plate. The distance betweenthe vertical portions of the parts E and E is about equal to the widthof the plate C, so that when both are in contact with the edges of thesaid plate, the plate E is parallel with the plate C. When, however, theplate E is turned from this position it may be moved along the plate 0to any desired point in either direction.

On the opposite side of the stirrup proper is a spring rod F whichextends backwardly and has its downwardly turned end F so formed as tofit snugly in the recesses G of the curved plate Gr secured to the underside of the brace B and extending slightly beyond the same. Theapertures G are in the portion of the plate G which extends beyond thebrace, and the said plate G is curved to correspond with the curvatureof the brace.

When the plate E of the stirrup extension E is parallel with the ratchetplate C- and the'ratchet engaging portion E in position in the bottom ofa recess between two teeth the downwardly turned end F of the spring rodF. is normally in a position below and inside of the plate G, so that tocause. the said end to engage one of the recesses G the rod must beflexed so as to permit it to move outwardly and upwardly, and when thesaid end is caused to enter one of the recesses the rod is held undertension. This causes a pressure which constantly presses the saidratchet engaging part into the recess, and insures against accidentaldisplacement.

The support proper is provided with a strap H adapted to engage the heelof the driver and assist him in keeping his foot in the stirrup.

When it is desired to adjust the stirrup along the thill the spring rodF is disengaged and the stirrup turned outwardly toward the thill. Thisrocks the plate E and disengages it from the ratchet so that the stirrupmay be moved to the desired point. It may then be turned inwardly untilthe ratchet is again engaged and secured as above described.

In the modification of Fig. a the stirrup is provided with hooks J andK, the former passing over the upper edge and the latter over the loweredge of the part L, which may be either the thill or the brace. The saidpart L is provided with a series of pegs L in its lower edge betweenwhich the hook K enters. In this construction the side of the stirrup isin contact with the part L of the vehicle and is provided with a forwardextension M which prevents it from rocking in a horizontal plane. Theconstruction and arrangement of the backwardly extending rod F and plateG are substantially the same as in the preferred form. This modified:torm provides a lighter and somewhat simpler construction, with greatstrength and durability and the same range of adjustment as thepreferred form.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with the thill of a vehicle, of a driving stirrup, aconnection between the said stirrup and the thill detachable by movementof the stirrup in a direction other than the direction of the normalstrains of use, said connection constructed and arranged to connect thestirrup and thill in different relative positions.

2. The combination with the thill of a vehicle, of a driving stirrup, aconnection between the said stirrup and the thill detachable by movementof the stirrup in a direction other than the direction of the normalstrains of use, and said connection comprising a series of projections,an extension on the stirrup pressable into the recesses betgeen saidprojections and engaging between t em.

3. The combination with the thill of a vehicle, of a driving stirrup, aconnection between the said stirrup and the thill detachable by movementof the stirrup in a di-' rection other than the direction of the normalstrains of use,- said connection constructed and arranged to connect thestirrup and thill in difl'erent relative positions, comprising anextension on the said stirrup and a part extending from the stirrup in adirection difierent from the said projection, and means for constantlypressing one of the said two last named parts into contact withahpprtion of the connection secured to the t i 4. In combination withthe thill of a vehicle a driving stirrup detachably connected therewithspaced projections on said thill,

means connected with said stirrup for adjusting the same longitudinallyand for holding the same at difierent points to which it may be adjustedagainst movement in all directions comprising a member extending fromthe stirrup adapted to enter between the projections of the thill and aspring member extending from the stirrup having a position normally awayfrom its connection with the vehicle, but adapted to be flexed to bringit into connection therewith and to thereby exert pressure upon theextension of the stirrup first mentioned, and a detachable connectionbetween said spring member and the vehicle.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a stirrup,a ratchet device connected with the thill, a portion of said stirrupbeing constructed and arranged to engage the said ratchet device whenthe stirrup is in one position and to automatically disengage therefromwhen the stirrup is moved to another position angular to the firstmentioned position, and means "for holding the stirrup in the firstmentioned position.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a stirrup,a ratchet device connected with the thill, a portion of said stirrupbeing constructed and arranged to engage the said ratchet device whenthe stirrup is in one position and to automatically disengage therefromwhen the stirrup is moved to another position relative to the directionin which the thill extends, and means for holding the stirrup in thefirst mentioned position, comprising an extending member, means forconnecting it with the vehicle at different points removed from thestirrup, the connection and arrangement being such that when the saidextending member is connected the portion of the stir rup firstmentioned will be held in engagement with the ratchet.

7. In combination with the thill of a vehicle, a driving stirrupdetachably connected therewith, and means connected with said stirrupfor adjusting the same longitudinally and holding it in differentpositions, said means being detachable by movement of the stirrup to aposition angular to its normal position. v

8. In combination with the thill of a vehicle, a driving stirrupdetachably connected therewith, means for adjusting the samelongitudinally and for attaching and detaching the same, comprising aseries of projections on the thill, an extension on the stirrupconstructed and arranged to engage between said projections, and meansfor causing the said extension to so engage, comprising a springconnection between the stirrup and another part of the thill, arrangedto prevent free lateral movement of the stirrup but detachable from thethill and movable loo laterally with respect to said thill, with thesaid stirrup.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of astirrup-supporting member, a stirrup mounted thereon, a connectionbetween the stirrup and said member permitting lateral movement of theformer, and comprising engaging portions of the stirrup and thesupporting member maintaining locking relations when the stirrup is inone position and movable relative to each other when the stirrup is in aposition angular to the first mentioned position.

10. In a device of the character described the combination of a stirrupsupporting member, a stirrup mounted thereon, a con noction between thestirrup and said member permitting movement of the former, comprisingengaging portions on the stirrup and the supporting member movablerelative to each other in one direction to disengage and in anotherdirection angular thereto for adjustment of the position of the,stirrup,said stirrup having a foot-supporting portion eX- tending from theconnection and forming with the engaging portion thereof a lever withthe said connection as its pivot, the construction and arrangement beingsuch that pressure of the foot on the said foot-supporting portion tendsto press the engaging member of the stirrup into engagement with thestirrup support.

Witness my hand this 28th day of March, 1916, at Goshen, in the countyof Orange, and State of New York.

JOSEPH S. COATES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

